Smith, Legasse Earn Major AD3I Cross Country Honors

Nov 17, 2012

(PRESQUE ISLE, ME) -- The Univesity of Maine-Presque Isle women's cross country team was well represented when the Association of NCAA Division III Independents released it's "All-Independent Team" this month.

Winning major awards were Owls' head coach Chris Smith, who was named "Coach of the Year", while UMPI runner Kayla Legassie (So./Presque Isle, ME) capped a stellar rookie campaign by being named the association's "Rookie of the Year".

For Smith, it was the 2nd time he has been bestowed with the AD3I distinction, first winning the award in 2006, when he was named women's AND men's Coach of the Year.

Legasse, who recently was named a 1st team USCAA All-American, was placed on the AD3I 2nd team. Four of her teammates, Nicole Green (Sr./Caribou, ME); Kati Christoffel (Sr./Clifton Park, NY); Carly Langley (Jr./Truro, NS); and Ghazaleh Sailors (So./Santa Barbara, CA) , were given "Honorable Mention" distinctions.

Read the full AD3I release below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 2012

Association of Division III Independents

Names 2012 All-Independent Men's and Women's Cross Country Teams

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--- The top harriers from the University of California, Santa Cruz, earned the major honors as the Association of Division III Independents announced the All-Independent Cross Country teams today.

Female Runner of the Year

University of California, Santa Cruz's Evelyn Borchard, a sophomore from Woodland, Cal., was named the female runner of the year. Borchard ran a 21:28 (6K) recently to place sixth overall at the West Region Cross Country Championships.

University of Maine-Presque Isle's Kayla Legassie, a junior from Presque Isle, Me., was named the women's rookie runner of the year, while UMPI coach Chris Smith was selected as the women's coach of the year.

The All-Independent Men's and Women's Cross Country teams were selected by the men's and women's cross country coaches from the Association of Division III Independents member schools.

Women's First Team
Evelyn Borchard, Sophomore, University of California, Santa Cruz

Jessica Meyer, Senior, University of California, Santa Cruz

Gabi Jenkins, Freshman, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Ali Tewes, Junior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Erin Kautz, Sophomore, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Women's Second Team

Kayla Legassie, Junior, University of Maine-Presque Isle

MacKenzie Steinauer, Sophomore, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Sarah Wheeldon, Senior, Nebraska Wesleyan University

Jennifer Contreras, Senior, University of California, Santa Cruz

Emily Barker, Junior, Mount Mary College

Women's Honorable Mention

Nicole Green, Senior, University of Maine, Presque Isle

Teresa Mangan, Senior, St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn)

Kati Christoffel, Senior, University of Maine-Presque Isle

Vanessa Schellinger, Junior, Mount Mary College

Carly Langley, Senior, University of Maine-Presque Isle

Ghazaleh Sailors, Sophomore, University of Maine-Presque Isle

Tayler Fisher, Freshman, College of New Rochelle

The Association of Division III Independents consists of 10 Division III independent institutions that have joined together to recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to provide exempted postseason championship competition. The Association recognizes outstanding athletic achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly, monthly and annual basis. The Association provides statistical services for its members in seven sports. In addition, it will announce All-Independent teams at the conclusion of eight other sports this year.